Practical Tips for Christmas Day and Boxing Day
Alternate Alcohol With Non-Alcoholic Drinks
You do not need to avoid alcohol completely to reduce its impact.
A simple and effective strategy is to alternate:
One alcoholic drink
One non-alcoholic drink (water, sparkling water, alcohol-free option)
This helps reduce total alcohol intake, improves hydration, and often slows drinking pace without reducing enjoyment.
2. Prioritise Hydration
Aim to start the day with water before coffee or alcohol appears. Keeping a jug of water on the table during meals makes a surprising difference.
Good hydration helps:
Reduce bloating
Support digestion
Reduce headaches
Improve energy levels
Warm drinks such as herbal teas can also be helpful, particularly in the evening.
Processed Meats at Christmas: What’s the Real Risk and How Can We Reduce It?
Ham at breakfast, pigs in blankets at lunch, sausage rolls at snack time — the festive season is one of the few periods of the year when processed meats can become a near-daily feature for many households. Alongside the tradition and enjoyment, however, comes an important nutritional conversation about nitrites and nitrates — substances commonly used in processed meats and consistently linked with bowel cancer risk.
This is not about fear-mongering or banning Christmas foods. It is about understanding the science, making informed choices, and reducing risk where we realistically can, in line with NHS cancer-prevention advice and NICE principles on long-term disease prevention.